Morse, 30, is under contract for $6.75 million in the upcoming season and will be eligible for free agency afterward. In 102 games this past season—he didn’t debut until June 2 because of a lat strain—Morse hit .291/.321/.470 with 18 homers and 62 RBIs. That came on the heels of a career year in 2011, when he hit .303/.360/.550 with 31 homers and 95 RBIs.

Two potential roadblocks to a trade: FoxSports.com reports Morse isn’t wild about the idea of being a DH (and many of the teams interested in him are in the American League), and Washington doesn’t have to trade him. Morse can be used as a fourth outfielder and part-time first baseman, and as injury insurance. However, he also could be used to acquire the lefthanded reliever the team is seeking, as well as young other young talent.

“If we can get the right deal for Mike, we’ll certainly think about trading him. We’re not going to make a bad deal just to move the player out of town. We don’t have to do it financially,” Nationals general manager Mike Rizzo told The Washington Post.

In any case, Washington has the leverage in trade talks and can set its asking price high. Plenty of teams already have expressed interest in Morse, and more likely will follow. Among them:

• The New York Yankees have a need for a righthanded bat, as all three of their starting outfielders hit lefthanded. The New York Daily News speculates the Yankees could offer the Nationals a package that includes lefthanded reliever Boone Logan.

• According to The Baltimore Sun, the Baltimore Orioles are interested in Morse. However, it notes the teams might not be a match because the Orioles might not be willing to deal the young pitching the Nationals would like in return. Especially not for a player in a walk year.

• One team with no shortage of young pitching and a great need for offense: the Tampa Bay Rays. According to the Tampa Bay Times, Morse’s bat is just one thing that would appeal to the team. His positional versatility is another.

• The Seattle Mariners have been on the prowl for offense all offseason and were in the bidding for free agent outfielders Josh Hamilton and Nick Swisher. They also have talked to the Arizona Diamondbacks about right fielder Justin Upton. But Morse, whose major league debut came with the Mariners in 2005 and played with them until 2008, likely would come at a lesser cost.

Other teams that are believed to be seeking outfield help: the Texas Rangers, Philadelphia Phillies, New York Mets and Atlanta Braves. However, the Nationals might be reluctant to deal Morse to a division rival.